Judge Strickland rejected three separate defense arguments attacking the prosecution of Mr. Crimo, Jr.  

The defense unsuccessfully argued that the reckless conduct statute was unconstitutional, that the indictments in the case were not specific enough, that the defendant’s sponsorship was protected under the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and that the three-year statute of limitations had expired by December 2022.  

After the Court’s ruling denied all motions to dismiss, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, commented: 

“We brought this reckless conduct case against Robert Crimo, Jr., because of our obligation to secure justice for the victims of the Highland Park July 4, 2022, shooting. When Mr. Crimo signed the form that enabled his son to get an assault weapon, he also had intimate knowledge about his son's specific circumstances, a dangerous-mix that would have stopped any responsible parent from proceeding.   

In addition to the direct consequences of Mr. Crimo’s reckless conduct, my office also charged Mr. Crimo because of our moral and law-enforcement obligation to prevent future tragedy in Lake County. If a parent helps their child obtain a firearm, and they are aware of a risky situation, they should know that, as long as I am the Lake County State’s Attorney, they will be prosecuted.   

Therefore, we appreciate the judge’s careful consideration of the legal arguments in this case and his decision. The overwhelming majority of states use some form of the reckless conduct statute, and in Illinois, it has been used for decades to address a range of criminal activities from dangerous driving, to improper firearm use, to ignoring maintenance issues at a dilapidated apartment building.  

Finally, I want to thank the Highland Park Police Department and Illinois State Police for gathering the evidence in this case and for supporting these charges from the start.   Because of today’s ruling, Mr. Crimo will now go to trial where we accept the burden to show what he knew, how his actions were dangerous, and how his decisions ultimately led to the death of seven people in Highland Park.”   

Aside from denying the motions to dismiss, Judge Strickland also ruled that the media would be given access to the bench trial through a single media video camera.  

Judge Strickland set the matter for trial November 6, 2023, with a status date of October 30, 2022, for the parties to report back to the Court on any agreements they had reached regarding the evidence.